The process which has customarily been employed in making this type of product requires a large packing facility and a relatively long period of time in processing. In addition, the quality of the product has left much to be desired. In general, the process as it has been carried out commercially during the past years starts with the cutting of beef hams into pieces and putting the pieces into a brine solution. The brine contains an amount of about 25 to 26 percent common salt which is near the saturation point of the solution. The brine solution may also contain nitrites as curing agents. The beef ham pieces are held in this solution for a period of about 40 or 50 days during which time the meat pieces pick up the cure and quantities of the salt. The temperature of the brine solution (sometimes called the "pickle") is maintained at a temperature of about 36.degree.-40.degree. F. during this brine treatment. A warmer temperature would "break" the pickle and produce what is commonly called a "rusty" condition. At the end of the pickle treatment the meat is removed from the brine, washed and put into water to soak overnight which serves to remove some of the salt concentration at the surface of the meat. The meat pieces are then trimmed and hung in a heated area (140.degree.-150.degree. F.) to dry for about 120-170 hours. Following this the meat is tempered at room temperature, then chilled, sliced and packaged. Usually the slices are packed together, folded and packed in glass jars. The product may contain salt in an amount of 10-12 percent, and moisture of the order of 50 percent.
Instead of soaking the relatively large pieces of beef in brine as above described it is known that the beef may be ground to form chunks of about 3 to 8 ounces and to mix and work the pieces along with salt and seasonings to bring out salt soluble proteins from the meat after which the mixture is stuffed into casings with the proteins serving along with the frayed edges of the pieces to bind the meat into a unitary body. Casings thus filled may be further treated by curing and drying in a heated chamber as above described. Such a process is set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 3,497,361.
It may be observed that in the processes above outlined long periods of curing and drying are involved. The long drying period requires the provision of heated rooms for holding the product over long periods of time, principally for the purpose of reducing the moisture content of the meat. In such a process the space requirements are substantial and the maintenance of elevated temperatures adds to the cost of processing.